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 Movements in the lesson--Remembrance /
Illumination / Kerygma / Witnesses / Promise / Blessing / Absence / Waiting / Doxology
Luke’s interests--continuity - Luke’s presentation of Christ and
the Church includes the theme of continuity of Jesus’ mission with that of Israel
(2:21-40; 4:16-30; 24:25-27; 24:44-45). That is, the death and resurrection of Jesus and
the proclamation of the gospel to all peoples were in the plan of God revealed in Hebrew
Scriptures. No new departures here.
Universality of God’s offer of repentance and forgiveness to all (vs.
47). Luke makes this point from the inception of Jesus’ ministry (2:29-32), and Jesus
makes it a top priority in his mission (4:16-30); now the disciples carry the inclusive
gospel-"repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all
nations . . ." (vs. 47).
Mission/commission-Luke is also interested in the notion of the
centripetal vis-à-vis the centrifugal thrust of mission. Acts 1:8 reflects just such an
interest. Here, the call is to proclaim to all nations, beginning in Jerusalem (Lk.
24:47).
 Ascension means that life with God, not resurrection, is
Jesus’-and our--destiny.
Ascension means transition . . . between resurrection and
Pentecost; but the time includes commissioning and promises of the empowering presence of
the Spirit.
Ascension means the sending of the Spirit so that the worshiping church
can get on with its mission task. Though it suggests worlds of mystery with the ascending
Jesus, it keeps our feet grounded in the mission of the church.[1]
 Here
are several interesting sermon ideas to consider . . . [2]
Story line-block #1: name the promise Jesus give the disciples of his
supportive presence; block #2: he opens their minds to understand the Scriptures; block
#3: he calls them to be witnesses.
Three "musts" of Easter-(1) Christ must suffer; (2) Christ must
rise; (3) in his Name, repentance and forgiveness must now be preached.
Four guiding lights-Christ illuminates the future path for his disciples:
(1) a biblical theology (v. 46); (2) an evangelistic program (v. 47); (3) an apostolic
authority (v. 48); and (4) a spiritual dynamic (v. 49).
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1) New
Proclamation, Marshall D. Johnson, ed. (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2002), page 63.
2)Taken from
C.W. Burger in Sermon Guides For Preaching in Easter, Ascension, and Pentecost (Grand
Rapids: W. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1988), page 78.
Structure--Ephesians 1 contains primarily two
parts: 1st, vv. 3-14 which is an enumeration of the blessings that are the
Christian’s inheritance and the 2nd part (our lesson, vv. 1:15-23) which is a prayer
that God would open the congregation’s eyes to know the richness of the blessings
described in the 1st part.
Dividing the text - the hope of God’s call (vs. 17-18a) / the
glory of the inheritance (18b) / the greatness of God’s power (19-23).
Verses 20-23: Christian credo? Confession of faith? Resurrection
psalm? (Barth); others suggest that they function as "thanksgiving and
intercession," "a great intercession," (Stott), or "a jubilation and
radiation of joy" (Barth).
Ephesians is the prayer epistle. Much of what Paul
says is actually a prayer. What impact would that have on you if a friend included
thoughtful prayer about you in her letter?
Three themes in this prayer--future hope / present wealth / past
heritage [1]
Marius Victorinus (ca 280):
Every prayer that we offer up to God is made either in thanks for what we have
received or in petition to receive something else. We are encouraged to pray both for
ourselves and for those we love . . . Paul’s prayers for the Ephesians are a pattern
for us.[2]
Your God is Too Small--Verses 20-23 may reveal the limitations that we
place around Ascension Day. Maybe that’s precisely why such language in our lesson is
preceded by a prayer for enlightenment (17-18). We are being summoned to think of Christ
in the most comprehensive sense possible-One who encompasses all reality as we know it,
One who brooks no rivals, One who has transcended both space and time and in doing so has
redefined both.[3]
See Barbara Brown
Taylor’s homily on this passage: "He Who Fills All in All." [4]
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1)A. Leonard Griffith, Ephesians: A Positive
Affirmation (Waco, TX: Word Books, 1975), page 28.
2) Cited in Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture VIII (Downers Grove:
InterVarsity Press, 1999), page 119.
3) Preaching the New Common Lectionary Year A (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1986),
page 223.
4) Barbara Brown Taylor, Home By Another Way (Cambridge: Cowley Press, 1999),
pp.135-141.
1) all that Jesus did and taught from the
beginning . . . (vs. 1) - Luke alludes to his gospel: the birth narrative (the
beginning), the doing and teaching (the middle), and the death, resurrection, and
ascension of Jesus (the ending).
2) after giving instructions . . . (vs. 2) - What instructions? One view:
"Things they already knew, had heard, were reminded of, but which were now also being
interpreted or explained anew by the risen Lord himself."[1]
3) Exegetical problem: the Q / A exchange: . . . Lord, is this the time . . . It
is not for you to know the times . . . (vs. 6-7) - Jewish particularism?
Restoration of the Davidic kingdom? Or does the Q have more to do with a timeline? As in,
"How soon is the kingdom going to come?"
4) Jesus’ answer encompasses the entire world-breaks beyond the local precincts
and city limits to the world’s horizon point and beyond (vs. 8).
1) Acts
1:1-11 is not a farewell scene in a sitcom but a commercial proclaiming a new task in a
new era.
2) Time on our hands. The departing Christ is also the returning Christ.
How do we conduct ourselves in the times of in-between? Jesus’ says eyes off
the clock! It’s not about time but about progress that the Spirit will initiate
through us. That is our new mission. So we don’t look backward or upward -but
forward.
Quote
With Christ gone, how does the church function? It listens to
the apostolic witness, assured that in and through it Christ is speaking . . . But it does
so with a new realization that the focus of the kingdom of God is not on liberating Israel
from Roman rule but on witnessing to the presence of the Spirit in the world.[2]
Block #1: Describe the omnipotence of
"Time" -it is inevitable, inescapable, and it will have an final impact on all
of us be we healthy, wealthy, or wise. We may feel powerless in the face of events, new
situations in personal or public life, crises, threats to our lives and happiness;
Block #2: Jesus’ response to disciples suggest a change of view
toward time: "it’s not for you to know the time . . . but you shall receive
power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you." Christ is Lord of time. Our mission is to
live life in the Spirit’s power, bearing witness to God’s faithfulness and
Kingdom. God will unlock opportunities for faith, hope, and love within these seemingly
difficult changes.
Whatever changes may occur in history, whatever new situations may arise in the
congregation or personal lives, we are called to be faithful to what remains-the gospel
that points to renewal and preparation for God’s new heaven and earth.
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1 C.W. Burger, B.A. Muller, D.J. Smit, ed. Sermon
Guides for Preaching in Easter, Ascension, and Pentecost (Grand Rapids: Wm. B.
Eerdmans Publ. Co., 1988), page 109.
2 Carl R. Holladay in Preaching and the New Common Lectionary (Nashville:
Abingdon Press, 1986), page 220.
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